A 39-year-old woman diagnosed with deadly stage four cancer claims doctors dismissed her debilitating pain as “just a heavy period.”
Emma McQuitty, from North Belfast, visited the emergency room in February after experiencing constant bleeding and pain that left her unable to walk.
But after 15 hours at the Mater Hospital, the mother-of-one says, she was sent home with strong painkillers. Four more visits over the next six months also saw her discharged and given co-codamol, she claims.
It was only when the pain worsened in July that her concerned family urged her to go to the Ulster Hospital, which is run by a separate NHS trust.
Emma McQuitty, from North Belfast, visited A&E in February after suffering from persistent bleeding and pain that left her unable to walk. But after 15 hours in the Mater Hospital she was sent home with strong painkillers, she says. On four further visits over the next six months she was also discharged with co-codamol, she claims
There, doctors discovered that she had stage four cervical cancer and that the tumors that had formed on her cervix, uterus and bladder had spread to other parts of her body.
The single mother of one also says that while preparing for treatment, she suffered from kidney failure and life-threatening sepsis.
Mrs McQuitty told of her nightmarish ordeal: Live broadcast from Belfast: ‘I think if doctors had listened to my concerns earlier, I might not have ended up in the terrible situation I am in now, having to be treated for stage four cancer and multiple tumors.
‘I had been going to the ER for six months and was sent home with co-codamol every time. The doctors told me I was just having a heavy period, when in reality I needed urgent evaluation and treatment.
‘I am so grateful for the care I am now receiving at Ulster Hospital, they really go above and beyond what is expected.
Exclusion would technically be achieved if fewer than four women per 100,000 are diagnosed (blue dotted line). For comparison, in England 9.5 women per 100,000 are diagnosed with cervical cancer (pine tree line), which equates to 2,626 per year.
Symptoms of cervical cancer to watch for include unusual vaginal bleeding, pain during sex, and lower back or pelvic pain.
NHS cervical screening data going back to 2011 shows that participation was highest that year (75.7 per cent) and has declined over time
‘But I know I’m going to have very tough treatment.
‘My condition has deteriorated to the point where I can barely walk on my own now and need help getting around. I just wish someone had listened to me in the first place.’
Currently, around 3,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, a decrease of around 25 per cent since the early 1990s.
In England, approximately 685 people die from it each year.
But only 15 percent of people diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer survive five years or more after diagnosis, according to Cancer Research UK.
In stage four, a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy is often offered to shrink the cancer, reduce symptoms and help you feel better.
According to the charity, surgery is normally only recommended if the cancer is causing a blockage in the kidneys or intestines.
Experts believe the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, available on the NHS since 2008, has helped reduce the number of women affected by the disease.
However, like all other vaccines, the jab does not provide 100 percent protection.
Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by infection with HPV, a common group of viruses that are transmitted through sexual contact and usually cause no symptoms.
Cervical screening, offered to women ages 25 to 64, offers another defense against cancer. It looks for changes in the cells of the cervix caused by HPV.
If these cells are found, they can be treated before they develop into cancer cells.
Mrs. McQuitty’s daughter, Codie, and a friend now have a GoFundMe to cover the costs of a mobility scooter and other home aids so she can carry out her treatment.
Since launching a week ago, over £5,000 has been raised.
The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust has been contacted for comment.
Overall uptake of cervical cancer screening remains low in the UK, with only around 70 per cent of eligible women, some 4.6 million, turning up for their scheduled test.
Shame plays a role, according to research by cervical cancer charities.
This can be especially a problem for women from certain cultural backgrounds.
For half of the 1.3 million people who don’t show up each year, missing an appointment is mainly due to not having time off work or finding a suitable time to make an appointment.
Last month, NHS England announced that women will soon be able to self-test for cervical cancer, after research showed that testing at home significantly improved screening rates.